Postage stamp vending machine



NOV. 12, J D FEX POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1967 INVENTOR Jesus Agusf/h 9 ex Q4467 ATTDHVEXS Nov. 12, 1968 J. A. DE FEX 3,410,383

POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE Filed June 7, 1967 v 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR Jesus Agusf/n Defx Wm V rm .5

Nov. 12, 1968 ,1. A. DE FEX POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 7, 1967 NW F INVENTOR AUTO/WE .5

Nov. 12, 1968 .1. A. DE FEX POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 7, 1967 TTURN Nov. 12, 1968 J. A. DE FEX 3,410,383

POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE Filed June 7, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 4Q? INVENTOR Jesus Agusf/h Del-Ex BY W A7TL7RN 5 v Nov. 12, 1968 J. A. DE FEX 3,410,333

POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE Filed June 7, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENT OR Jesus Agusfin Ue/x BY I TTRN .5

J. A. DE FEX POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed June '7, 1967 INVENTOR NNHH Jesus Agusf/h Dfx AYTURN: 5

J. A. DE F'EX Nov. 12, 1968.

POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 7, 1967 INVENTOR Jesus AguJf/h flefx BY ATTL'WV 5 United States Patent 3,410,383 POSTAGE STAMP VENDING MACHINE 'Jesu'sAgustin DeFex, 336 W. 88th St., New York, N.Y. 10024 Filed June 7, 1967, Ser. No. 644,324 6 Claims. (Cl. 194-2 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates in general to vending machines. More specifically, it relates to vending machines for dispensing postage stamps and the like.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a postage stamp vending machine that dispenses postage stamps in ribbon strips each of which comprises several stamps, the number of which is selectively pre-set.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stamp vending machine that incorporates a novel postage stamp pushing foot for feeding the postage stamps outwardly, in short'out of the machine.

Yet another object is to provide a postage stamp-vending that includes a coin operated slide which may be designed to drive either one or more postage stamp dispensing mechanisms, thus adapting the present invention for dispensing one denomination of postage stamps by actuating one slide, or adapting it for dispensing two or more different denominations of postage stamps by actuating a single slide.

Yet another object is to provide a stamp vending machine having a novel trip mechanism to lock the stamp dispensing mechanism and slide after the device has been emptied of stamps so as to not accept money from future prospective customers until the machine has been refilled.

Yet a further object is to provide a stamp vending machine that incorporates the use of the perforated openings between postage stamps for both gauging and pushing the postage stamps during dispensing operation.

Other objects are to provide a postage stamp vending machine that is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and eificient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specifications and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a postage stamp vending machine incorporating the present invention, and which has several manually operated slides, each of which is used to dispense a particular denomination of stamps;

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of the front wall thereof, and showing the mechanism secured thereto;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view thereof as viewed along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the postage-stamp pushing foot assembly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIGURE 4;

"ice

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of a pushing toe that forms a part of the foot assembly;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a bracket that forms a part of the foot assemby;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary side elevation view taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 2, and showing the mechanism in an initial starting position of a cycle of operation.

FIGURE 9 is a similar view thereof in a next or subsequent position of operation;

FIGURE 10 is a similar view thereof in a following subsequent position;

FIGURE 11 is a similar view thereof in a farther, fol lowing subsequent position;

FIGURE 12 is a similar view thereof in a still farther, following subsequent position;

FIGURE 13 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the coin operated slide mechanism and showing its association with the postage stamp dispensing mechanism;

FIGURE 15 is a cross sectional view taken on line 15- 15 of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary perspective view taken in the same plane as FIGURE 2 and showing a portion of the mechanism thereof in an alternate position;

FIGURE 17 is a cross sectional view taken on line 17 17 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 18 is a front perspective view of a modified postage stamp vending machine, incorporating the present invention, which employs a single slide mechanism to dispense a plurality of stamp denominations; and

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary rear perspective of the front wall thereof, and showing the mechanism secured thereto.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to the form of the invention as is illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 17, the reference numeral 20 represents an improved postage stamp vending machine according to the present invention wherein there is a case 21 formed of strong sheet steel to resist breakage thereinto by unauthorized persons. The case 21 includes a top wall 22, opposite side walls 23, bottom wall 24, and rear wall 25, integrally formed together. The case is open at its front to receive a front steel panel 26 which is pivotally secured to the case by a hinge 27 along its lower edge to permit swinging the panel forwardly so as to gain access into the machine for reservicing and restocking with postage stamps. A key operated lock secures the panel in locked position against an upper edge on the case.

The front panel 26 is provided with a. pair of slots 28 through which postage stamps 29 and 30 of different denominations may be dispensed outward of the interior 31 of the vending machine.

A pair of manually operated slide mechanisms 32 include brackets 33 mounted on the panel 26, to which frames 34 are secured for supporting conventional coin operated slides 35 that are movable through the panel 26, each slide having coin receptacle 36 for receiving coins to activate a mechanism 37 to permit the slide to be manually pushed sufficiently inwardly into the case so as to influence a postage stamp dispensing mechanism 38 mounted on a plate on the rear side of panel 26.

The stamp dispensing mechanism Each postage stamp dispensing mechanism 38 is mechanically connected to the slide 35 by means of an angle plate assembly 40. A first slide bar 41 integral with plate 40 is horizontally slidable alongside a rearward extending vertical plate 42 secured by brackets 43 on the rear side of panel 26.

The slide bar 41 includes an upward extending spur 44 for the purpose of abutment with a downward extending spur 45 on a second slide bar 46; the slide bar 41 also having a cam edge 47 for engaging a pawl 48 pivotally secured on a pin 49 mounted on plate 42, the pawl having a tooth 50 engageable selectively within notches 51 formed on a lower edge of the slide bar 46. A slot 52 on the slide bar 46 receives pins 53 and 54 mounted on plate 42, the bar 46 being slidable on the pins. One of these pins 54 holds one end of a tension coil spring 55, the opposite end of which is secured to a post 56 carried on bar 46.

A horizontal row of threaded openings 57 is made on plate 42 for the purpose of selectively receiving a threaded stop post 58 against which the end edge 59 of the bar 46 may abut to limit its horizontal travel. The plate 42 has an opening 60 therethrough for receiving a pivotable pin 61, shown in FIGURE 15, that forms an intermediate portion of a rigid U-shaped lever 62 having a leg on each side of the plate 42. Thus one of the legs 63 of the lever is located on the same side of plate 42 as the above described sliding bars and pawl. The leg 63 is pivotable at one end about pin 61, the other end of the leg having a slot 64 for receiving a post 65 mounted on bar 46, thus forcing the leg to be pivoted when the bar 46 is horizontally moved. A return spring 66 of tension coil type is connected at one end to a post 67 secured on plate 42 and at its other end is secured to a lug on the pawl, normally urging the tooth 50 into engagement with notches 51. All the above described mechanism in this paragraph is located upon one side of the plate 42.

The remainder of the stamp dispensing mechanism 38 is located on the opposite side of the plate 42 where it is activated by the other leg 68 of the lever 62; it being understood that the legs are rigidly connected to move together during pivotal movement.

At the lower end of the leg 68, a foot assembly 69 is fastened by means of a shaft 70 and rivets 71, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The foot assembly includes the shaft 70 riveted at one end to the lower part of leg 68. A plurality of toe units 72, each comprising a flat plate 73 with a spring steel wire 74 welded at one opening 75 for purpose of being fitted upon the shaft 70. An ordinary steel washer 76 is fitted also upon the shaft between each of the toe units, thus spacing the toe units apart a predetermined distance. Each of the toe units includes a tapering point 77 being formed on the plate 73 for purpose of engaging one of the conventional openings 78 that form the perforations between postage stamps made up in rolls 79, as is most clearly indicated by the phantom lines in FIGURE 4. In view of the fact that these perforated openings are made a specific measurement apart, it is therefore desirable that the point 77 be a likewise same measurement apart so that each of the points may come into engagement with one of the perforated openings. Accordingly the washers or spacers 76 shall be of an appropriate thickness so as to accomplish this same specific measurement apart of the points. A bracket 80 is fastened by means of the rivets 71 to an intermediate portion of the leg 68 for the purpose of providing a means for forcing the toe units to be tilted forwardly to make the points 77 of the toe units to dig into the perforated openings 78 between the stamps of the bracket 80 includes a pair of openings 81 in a panel 82 through which rivets 71 eX- tends so as to secure the bracket in a stationary position on the leg. The bracket includes a generally V-configurated panel 83 having an upper edge 84 and lower edge 85. A pair of notches 86 along the upper edge, and a pair of notches 87 along the lower edge are provided for receiving the toe units in two groups. It is to be noted that the lower notches are simply reliefs so as to clear the plates 73 of the toe units, whereas the upper notches serve as means against which the upper portions of the spring steel Wires 74 will bear under pressure when the stamp dispensing mechanism is fully assembled so as to spring load each toe unit and thus cause each point to spring into the perforated openings when the two are made to come into alignment with each other.

A chute 88 is stationarily secured to a lower edge of the plate 42, the chute being positioned immediately below the foot assembly 69. The chute is of generally accurate configuration so as to conform to the pivotal travel of the points on the toe units when the lever 62. is caused to swing about the pin 61, and the chute communicates at its forward end with one of the openings 38 in the panel 26. A ribbon of postage stamps is fed from the roll 79 through the chute and thus through the opening 38. Each chute is formed from a pair of spaced apart, accurate metal strips 89 and 90 which are bonded together along their longitudinal side edges 91 so as to form a flat, tubular passage 92 therebetween through which the ribbon of postage stamps is fed. The upper strip 89 has an elongated pair of slots 92 therethrough, for allowing the toe unit points to engage the upper surface of the ribbon of stamps within the chute. Each slot 92 is of a length so as to accommodate the full swing of the lever 62 and yet allow engagement of the points and stamps at all times. Each slot 92 is of a width which will accommodate one of the two groups of the toe units, as is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The passage 92 is of a width which is generally equivalent to the Width of the ribbon of stamps so that the same does not have any side movement while traveling through the chute, thus assuring alignment of the toe unit points with the perforated openings.

The roll 79 of postage stamps is supported upon a sidewardly extending post 93 secured at one end to a formed plate 94 mounted by rivets 95 to the plate 42. The roll of stamps is simple, fitted over the free end of the post 93, and is then locked thereupon by an arm 96 pivotable at one end about a post 97. An opening 98 in the arm receives the end 99 of the stamp roll supportin post, thus locking the stamp roll on post and preventing disengagement of the arm from the post 93 when the roll is rotated during the feeding process of the stamps therefrom. A compression coil spring 100 hearing at one end against a washer 101 held by a screw 102 in the end of post 97, bears at its opposite end against a washer 103 adjacent to the arm, thus normally urging the arm to bear against the side of the roll of stamps and also maintain engagement of post end 99 with opening 98, as shown most clearly in FIGURE 17.

A trip mechanism 104, best shown in FIGURE 16, is also included in the present construction to lock the operation of the vending machine slide when the unit is empty of postage stamps, thereby preventing the insertion of coins thereinto and thus eliminating the annoyance of a prospective customer from losing his money. The trip mechanism includes a lever 105 which is centrally pivotable about openings 106 in a bracket 107 mounted on plate 42. One end 108 of the lever is held captive between one side 109 of the roll 79 of stamps and the plate 94, and the other end 110 of the lever is an alignment for dropping through an opening 111 in the plate 42 and into a slotted opening 112 in the bar 41 when the roll 79 is used up. As is shown in FIGURES 13 and 16 the end 108 of the lever includes an angular portion 113 which causes the end 110 to be raised into the position shown by phantom lines in FIGURE 16 when a roll of stamps is locked upon post 93. However when the stamps are used up, the force of gravity causes the end 110 to fall and engage the slotted opening in bar 41 to arrest any slidable movement thereof and thus prevent movement of the coin receiving slide secured thereto.

In operative use, a coin is inserted into the receptacle 36 and the plunger or slide 35 is then pushed manually fully inward. At the start of the cycle of operation, the dispensing mechanism 38 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE 8. As the slide travels rearwardly carrying therewith the slide bar 41 secured thereto, the slide bar cam 47 engages the pawl 48, as shown in FIGURE 9,

causing the tooth 50 to disengage with notch 51 of the second slide bar 46. The slide bar 46 is thus free to be pulled rearwardly by spring 55, the bar 46 jumping instantly rearward until the edge 59 thereof abuts with pre set stop 58, as shown in FIGURE 10. The slide bar 41 is continued to be pushed rearwardly as shown in FIG- URE 10, until stopped by limits on the slide mechanism 37, not shown. It is to be noted that as the slide bar 46 moves rapidly rearward, that it pulls the leg 63 of lever 62 therewith, causing the lever to pivot, thus pulling the pushing foot assembly 69 rearward. The customer then pulls the slide forwardly causing spur 44 of slide bar 41 to abut against spur 45 of slide bar 46, as shown in FIG- URE 11, causing the latter to be pushed forward, thus forcing the lever 62 connected therewith to pivot forwardly and draw the toe units across the surface of the postage stamps in the chute. As soon as the points 77 engage the first row of perforated openings 78, as shown by the phantom lines in FIGURE 4, the strip or ribbon of stamps is pushed forward through the chute and out of opening 38 where a tear edge 114 provides means to tear off the exposed portion of the strip of stamps thus separating them from those remaining within the chute.

It shall be noted that the number of postage stamps dispensed at each operation of the slide mechanism depends upon the selection of threaded opening 57 into which the stop post 58 is secured. Thus if the stop post is in the opening as is illustrated in the drawings, three stamps will issue at each operation of the device, whereas if the stop post is in the adjacent opening 57, only two stamps will be dispensed, in view that this will additionally limit the rearward travel of the slide bar 46 and rearward pivotal travel of the lever 62..

In a modified construction shown in FIGURES 18 and 19, a vending machine 120 is shown to include a case 21 and a pivotable front panel 26 as above described but wherein only a singular slide mechanism 32 is employed for operating a pair of postage stamp dispensing mechanisms 38. It will be remembered that in the first form of the invention as above described in detail, that each slide mechanism operated one postage stamp dispensing mechanism alone. Thus when a customer wished to purchase stamps of different denominations, he operated a separate slide mechanism for each denomination. In the present construction two different denominations 29 and may be dispensed by actuating a single slide mechanism.

As shown in FIGURE 19, a plate assembly 121 comprised of flat plate 122 and U-shaped plate 123 is secured to the slide 35. The U-shaped plate includes parallel side walls 124 to each of which a slide bar 41 is secured, each slide bar being a component of a different postage stamp dispensing mechanism 38 mounted upon a different plate In operative use, when the slide is pushed, then both slide bars 41 are activated to cause the two stamp dispensing mechanisms 38 to dispense stamps 29 and 30 as shown in FIGURE 18.

It is to be understood that the construction shown in FIGURES 18 and 19 would be readily adaptable for designing a postage stamp vending machine having a singular slide to drive three or more stamp dispensing mechanisms each of which issues stamps of different denominations.

I claim:

1. In a postage stamp vending machine, the combination of a case, a pivotable panel forming a front wall of said case, coin operated slide mechanism means carried on said panel, and postage stamp dispensing mechanisms carried by said panel for dispensing postage stamps from said vending machine, and said postage stamp dispensing mechanisms being driven by said coin operated slide mechanism means, said case comprising: a strong housing having a top wall, bottom wall, rear wall and opposite side walls, and having an opening on the front thereof for receiving said panel, a hinge along the lower edge of said panel for hingedly connecting said panel to a lower part of said case, and a key operated lock on said panel for selectively locking said panel within said opening, said front panel having a plurality of rearwardly extending vertical plates secured on its rear side, each of said plates supporting one of said postage stamp dispensing mechanism, and said panel having a plurality of slots therethrough for dispensing outwardly from each thereof a strip of postage stamps of different denominations, and each of said slots being in alignment with one of said postage stamp dispensing mechanisms, each of said dispensing mechanisms comprising a first slide bar integral with said slide mechanism means, a pivotable pawl and a second slide bar activated by said first slide bar, a lever pivotably activated by said second slide bar, said lever carrying a pushing foot, and a stationary chute below said pushing foot supporting a strip of postage stamps, said first slide bar comprising a bar including a cam for tripping said pawl, said pawl normally arresting rearward travel of said second slide bar, and an upstanding spur for forwardly pus-hing of said second slide bar, said second slide bar comprising a bar having a lower edge with a plurality of notches for selectively engaging a singular tooth on said pawl, a spur for engaging said spur of said first slide bar, connection means with one end of a rearwardly urging tension spring secured at its other end to said plate, and a pivotally free securement to a free end of said pivotable lever.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pushing foot comprises a plurality of toe units mounted pivotally free on a post carried by said lever, each said toe unit comprising a plate with a tapered point and a spring steel wire secured to said plate and a bracket carried by said lever for normally urging said toe unit points downwardly into perforated openings between individual stamps on said strip carried in said chute.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said chute comprises an upper and lower metal strip of accurate configuration to conform to the pivotal path of said toe units, said metal strips being secured at their longitudinal side edges to form a flat tubular passage therebetween for said stamp strip and the upper of said metal strips being slotted to allow access of said toe unit points to said stamp perforated openings.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said slide mechanism means comprises a separate slide mechanism secured to each of said postage stamp dispensing mechanisms.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said slide mechanism means comprises a singular slide mechanism secured to all of a plurality of postage stamp dispensing mechanisms.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein a trip mechanism for arresting rearward travel of said slide mechanism and said first slide bar comprises a lever centrally pivoted, one end of said lever being fitted against a side of a roll of postage stamps comprising said stamps strip, and the other end of which is in alignment to drop into an opening in said plate and a slotted opening in said first slide bar when said roll of postage stamps is used up.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,865,699 12/1958 Fitzgerald 194-63 X 3,010,556 11/1961 Wawrzonek et al 194-2 SAMUEL F. COLENLaN, Primary Examiner. 

